Cruises from Malta 2028

All 2028 sailings depart from Valletta, Malta and return there — every itinerary is a round trip, so there is no one-way fare to manage and no flight home to arrange. Durations run from 7 to 14 nights, with the majority at 14 nights, giving you a generous stretch of time in the Mediterranean. Two cruise lines cover the programme: P&O Cruises dominates the schedule, with MSC Cruises adding a pair of departures.

Why Sail from Malta in 2028?

Valletta is one of the smallest capital cities in Europe and one of the most rewarding to arrive in. The Grand Harbour is one of the great natural anchorages of the Mediterranean — arriving by ship puts you right at the heart of it. The city’s fortified streets, baroque architecture and honey-coloured limestone make an immediate impression the moment you step ashore, and the port is compact enough to walk into the centre in minutes.

For British travellers, flying to Malta and joining a round-trip cruise from there is a well-proven formula. You get the convenience of a short flight — Malta is roughly three hours from most UK airports — and then the ease of a cruise that brings you back to your starting point. No airport transfers at the far end, no complex logistics. Cruise1st can book your flights, hotel the night before embarkation, transfers and insurance alongside your cruise, all on one booking. That is exactly what a Cruise1st Package is designed for.

Prices for 2028 Malta cruises start from £693 pp*, and some sailings carry savings of up to 27% off the price previously listed for that cabin grade — though that maximum applies to a single departure, and most reduced sailings are closer to 10% off. It is worth checking current fares with our team, who can also advise on fare types such as early-saver and last-minute offers.

Where Do These Cruises Go?

The Mediterranean is where almost all 2028 Malta cruises are concentrated, and that makes Valletta a particularly well-placed home port. Sitting at the centre of the sea, it gives itineraries access to ports across the full breadth of the region — eastern and western alike. For a fuller picture of what is sailing across the whole sea this year, the Mediterranean Cruises 2028 page covers the wider programme.

Mediterranean Itineraries

The bulk of 2028 Malta sailings explore the broader Mediterranean, threading together a mix of historic cities, island stops and coastal towns that only a ship can link efficiently. These are typically 14-night round trips, so there is real depth to the itineraries — not a whistle-stop tour, but time to settle into the rhythm of the sea. If you prefer a shorter taster, 7-night Mediterranean cruises are also available and can be a good way to try a Malta departure for the first time.

Western Mediterranean Itineraries

A dedicated group of sailings focuses on the Western Mediterranean, where itineraries typically take in ports along the southern European coastline and the islands that sit between them. These routes suit travellers who want the concentrated pleasures of that part of the sea — fewer sea days, more port time — and they work well as a 7-night option. If you want to explore Mediterranean fly-cruises in 2028 more broadly, that page covers the full spread of options departing from ports across the region.

Which Ships Sail from Malta in 2028?

Two cruise lines place three ships on the Malta programme in 2028. P&O Cruises runs the vast majority of sailings aboard Azura, while MSC Cruises contributes a pair of departures across two ships — including one that only joined the fleet in late 2026.

Azura — P&O Cruises

Azura carries the weight of the Malta programme for P&O Cruises, and she arrives in 2028 in notably better shape than many returning passengers will remember. A bow-to-stern refresh completed in 2025 brought new restaurants, bars, cabin décor and corridor carpets throughout the ship — so the experience genuinely feels renewed.

On the dining side, Sindhu offers modern Indian cuisine, while the Glass House — curated by TV wine expert Olly Smith — is a draw for anyone who takes their wine seriously. Entertainment centres on the 800-seat Playhouse theatre, which delivers West End-quality aerial acrobatics and production shows. On deck, the SeaScreen open-air cinema gives you a film under the stars with the sea on all sides.

Azura’s cabins cover a clear range from practical inside options to a spacious penthouse. The grades available include:

• Larger Inside Cabin OB — 15 m², located exclusively on Riviera Deck, which makes it easy to find your bearings across the ship
• Sea View Cabin LB — 15 m² with an unobstructed sea view, giving you natural light and an outlook the inside grades cannot offer
• Superior Deluxe Balcony Cabin DA — 29 m² with a private balcony for sea air and open views throughout the voyage
• Penthouse Suite A1 — 69 m², the largest suite on board, with a full separate lounge area and significantly more living space than any other grade

For a closer look at the full deck layout and cabin categories, the Azura cabins and deck plans page has everything you need before you decide.

MSC World Asia — MSC Cruises

MSC World Asia is the newest ship on the Malta programme — she joined the MSC fleet in December 2026 as the third vessel in the World-class series and is, at 215,863 GT, among the largest cruise ships ever built. At that scale there is a great deal aboard, and the design carries an Asian-inspired theme throughout: a 12-metre floating dragon sculpture anchors the World Promenade, while an 81-metre spiral slide runs across 12 decks.

The Harbour outdoor theme park takes the outdoor experience further still, with the Cliffhanger swing positioned 50 metres above the ocean, free-fall waterslides and 7 pools across the ship. If you are weighing up a cabin, the grades on MSC World Asia include:

• Deluxe Inside Cabin Fantastica — 15 m², offering 50% more space than the standard inside cabin
• Infinite Ocean View Fantastica — 20 m², twice the size of standard ocean-view cabins, with a window giving natural light and sea views
• Grand Suite Aurea — 35 m² balcony suite, 40% larger than standard suites and with a separate seating area
• Balcony Aurea — 17 m², with a private balcony for direct access to fresh air and views
• MSC Yacht Club Owner’s Suite — 104 m², the largest suite on board and almost twice the size of other Yacht Club suites, sleeping up to 4

See the MSC World Asia cabins and deck plans for the full picture before you choose a grade. You can also browse P&O 2028 cruises and MSC Cruises 2028 fly options if you want to compare what both lines are doing this year across all their departures.

MSC Seashore — MSC Cruises

MSC Seashore contributes one sailing to the Malta programme. The ship is defined by its relationship with the sea — 13,000 m² of outdoor space includes a glass-floored bridge 22 metres above the water and glass-bottomed promenades running along both sides of the hull, so the ocean is never far away wherever you are on deck.

Families tend to find a great deal to do aboard: the Pirates Cove Aquapark connects to the Long Island Pool on Deck 18 with a 360-degree fountain island, and there is also a zip line and MSC Formula Racer simulator. The ship-wide New York theme creates a Times Square area with an 8.5-metre LED wall, and the Danza del Mare Venini glass sculpture rises four decks through the atrium. Cabin grades on MSC Seashore include:

• Premium Inside Cabin Fantastica — 28 m², twice the size of standard inside cabins, sleeping up to 5
• Ocean-view Cabin Bella — 17 m² with a window for natural light and sea views, sleeping up to 4
• Two-Bedroom Grand Suite Aurea — 49 m² balcony suite with 2 complete bedrooms, the only multi-room suite configuration on board, sleeping up to 6
• Super Family Cabin Plus — 51 m² with separate sleeping and living areas, sleeping up to 10
• MSC Yacht Club Owner’s Suite — 98 m², the largest suite on board, with a separate bedroom, living room and dining room, sleeping up to 4

Check the MSC Seashore cabins and deck plans for the full grade list. If you are drawn to MSC more broadly, the MSC Cruises from Southampton page shows what is available without the flight to Malta.

How Much Do Malta Cruises Cost in 2028?

Fares for 2028 Malta cruises start from £693 pp*, based on 2 people sharing. That entry point covers a 7-night sailing, and longer 14-night itineraries are priced higher — so the duration you choose will have the biggest effect on overall cost. All prices quoted are per person and are not live fares, so the right move is to call our team for a current figure.

Some sailings carry a reduction of up to 27% off the price previously listed for that cabin grade, though that maximum applies to one departure — most discounted sailings are around 10% off. Fare types such as early-saver and last-minute offers do appear across the programme, so it is worth asking our experts what is current when you call. For a broader view of what is available at various price points, the Mediterranean 2028 all-inclusive cruises page and the all-inclusive fly 2028 cruises page both cover options that bundle more into the fare from the outset.

Planning Your Trip to Valletta

Malta’s main cruise terminal sits right in the Grand Harbour in Valletta, which means you are within easy reach of the old city the moment you arrive. Most British travellers fly into Malta International Airport, which is a short taxi or transfer ride from the port.

If you want a night in Valletta before embarkation — and it is well worth it, given how much there is to see — Cruise1st can arrange a hotel alongside your cruise booking. We can also organise transfers from the airport to your hotel and from the hotel to the port, so you arrive at the ship relaxed rather than rushed. Shore excursions and tours in Malta are something our team can help with too. Everything goes on one booking.

Parking is not typically a consideration for a Malta departure, since most passengers fly. But if you are travelling from the UK and prefer to start from a British port instead, it is worth knowing that Mediterranean cruises from Southampton in 2028 and Mediterranean cruises from the UK in 2028 both offer no-fly alternatives across a wider range of ships and lines. For those who want the Malta experience but with MSC specifically, MSC Cruises from Southampton in 2028 is another route worth comparing.

For everything else — all cruises across every line and region, or the full cruises from Malta programme across all years — our team is the quickest route to an answer. Cruise1st holds ABTA and ATOL protection and carries a Trustpilot rating of 4.5/5 from over 7,000 reviews, so you can book with confidence.

Other Years and Related Sailings

If you are flexible on the year, cruises from Malta in 2027 offer an earlier alternative across a similar programme, and Mediterranean cruises in 2027 cover the broader picture for anyone still deciding on a departure year. The Mediterranean 2027 sailings from Southampton page is useful if a no-fly option from the UK appeals alongside the Malta programme. For fly-cruise options across the Mediterranean, Mediterranean fly-cruises and the 2027 Mediterranean fly-cruise programme are both worth a look, as is the Mediterranean cruise deals page for current offers. The broader 2028 cruises page is the place to start if you have not yet settled on a region.

*Prices are per person based on 2 people sharing, and are subject to change. This price is not kept up to date and therefore does not reflect live pricing and availability. Prices and any discounts shown were checked on 14 October 2026.

Where a discount is shown, it is a reduction from the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing, not a comparison between cabin grades or against a brochure rate. Discounts and prices shown are not kept up to date: the reduction available now may be smaller, or may have ended, and prices may have changed.